Slag pot tipping stand

ABSTRACT

A stand for supporting and tipping a slag pot. The stand has a pair of arms normally disposed in a horizontal direction and rotatable about a horizontal axis. A slag pot is lowered onto the arms with its center of gravity offset from the axis of rotation of the arms. The arms are provided at their outer ends with hooklike projections which engage the side portions of the slag pot supporting lugs to prevent the pot from sliding as the arms rotate downwardly from the horizontal position. Counterbalances are provided to return the arms to a horizontal position when the ladle is lifted off the stand.

United States Patent Carson [54] SLAG POT TIPPING STAND [72] Inventor: Robert C. Carson, West Sunbury, Pa. [73] Assignee: Harsco Corporation, Harrisburg, Pa. [22] Filed: Nov. 6, 1969 [21] Appl. N0.: 874,573

[ 1 Mayz, 1972 2,267,355 l2/l94l Van Riper ..2l4/3l3 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-John Mannix Attorney-Peter L. Klempay [5 7] ABSTRACT A stand for supporting and tipping a slag pot. The stand has a U.S. pair of arms normally disposed in a horizontal direction and [51] Int. Cl ..B65b 69/00 rotatable about a horizontal axis A slag pot is lowered onto [58] Field of Search ..248/137, 139, 133, 134, 135, the arms with its center of gravity ff from the axis of rota 248/136 130; 214/130 314 tion of the arms. The arms are provided at their outer ends with hook-like projections which engage the side portions of [56] References Cned the slag pot supporting lugs to prevent the pot from sliding as UNITED STATES PATENTS the arms rotate downwardly from the horizontal position.

Counterbalances are provided to return the arms to a horizon- 1,548,557 8/1925 Shlpley ..2 14/3 l4 [3] position when the ladle is lif d ff h Stand, 1,618,700 2/l927 Dragon ..2l4/l30 3,335,885 8/1967 Livingston ..214/314 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 5 4 2 M O 2 3 6 l 2 2, /7/ w l E I l u 2 1 I 2, u ulllllrl ll. n\\\\\\\\i- O 2 W Q O 8 l 5 I l 2 2 2 H Q M G Ill 2 Patented May 2, 1972 INVENTOR. ROBERT C. CARSON AGENT FIG. 2

Patented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. 22 RQBERT c. CARSON FIG. 5 L

AGENT SLAG POT TIPPING STAND This invention relates to a stand for holding and tilting a slag pot and more particularly to such a stand which automatically tilts a filled slag pot positioned on the stand so as to empty the molten slag from the pot.

Slag, produced as a by-product in open hearth and other steel-making furnaces, is normally withdrawn in a molten state from the furnace into open topped containers or slag pots which are then transferred to suitable dumping areas where the molten slag is poured from the pot. The slag pots may be transported to the dumping area on specially constructed railroad cars which are provided with mechanisms for holding and rotating the slag pots to pour the slag therefrom. Another arrangement for dumping the slag employs a crane having two independent hoisting mechanisms. The first mechanism of the crane operates a pair of hooks which engage lugs on opposite sides of the slag pot and serves to raise and lower the pot. The second hoisting mechanism is attached to a lug at the lower end of the pot and when raised tilts the pot about the axis through the lugs engaged in the pot supporting hook.

Both of these arrangements necessitate a substantial investment in specialized equipment, the first arrangement requiring a specially constructed railroad cars and the second, cranes with two separate hoisting mechanisms. With the second arrangement there is also the danger that, if the hoists are incorrectly operated, the slag pot may be tilted and the molten slag spilled before the pot has moved to the slag receiving pit.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a device for tipping the slag pots to pour slag therefrom without the need for complicated and expensive specially constructed mechanisms. In accordance with the principles of the present invention this is accomplished by providing a stand on to which the slag pot may be lowered and which thereupon automatically tilts the pot to a pouring position while holding it securely to prevent overturning.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an arrangement for tilting a slag pot to a pouring position which may be used with cranes having but a single hoisting mechanism. This is accomplished in the present invention by the provision of a stand which tilts the slag pot as the pot is lowered onto the stand and thus requires a crane with only a single hoisting mechanism to raise and lower the pot.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a slag pot tilting stand which is of simple construction and which is capable of providing trouble-free operation over substantial periods of time. In accordance with the present invention, these objectives are accomplished by the provision of a slag pot tilting stand which has only two moving parts and which is operated by the weight of the slag pot lowered onto the stand.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an arrangement for tilting a slag pot to a pouring position which reduces the time and labor required to empty the slag pot. Since, in the present invention, the tilting of the slag pot occurs automatically when the pot is lowered onto the stand, it is not necessary to attach the cable of a second hoisting mechanism to the pot prior to the dumping thereof and to remove the second cable after the pot has been dumped and returned to its normal position.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the slag pot tipping stand of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line II- II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a slag pot of the type used with the stand of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the stand of FIG. 1 showing a slag pot in an untipped position; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 but showing the pot in its fully tipped position.

As will be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the pot tipping stand of the present invention is provided with a horizontal base 10 formed of heavy structural members. A pair of heavy plates 11 extend upwardly from opposite sides of the base 10 and are firmly held in position by suitable diagonal and crossbracing l2, 13. An arm 14 is pivotally connected to the upper end of each of the plates 11. This am 14 consists of a pair of vertical side plates 15 which pivot about a horizontal pin 16 extending through the plate 11. The pairs of side plates 15 are joined at their upper ends by a flat plate 17. The outer end of each of the arms has an upwardly projecting portion 18 and terminates with an inclined plate 19. Thus, the side elevation of the arm M is of a generally J-like configuration. The rear portions of the plates 15 are provided with counterweights 20 of sufficient size that the arms 14 extend in a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 1, when unloaded.

In order to provide stability for the stand, the rear portion 21 of the base is suitably weighted to counterbalance the weight of the arms 14 and the weight of a slag pot supported by the anns. At the midpoint of the front side of the base 10 there is provided an angled support block 22 for supporting the lip of a tilted slag pot, as will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 3 illustrates a typical slag pot of the type used with the tilting stand of the present invention. The pot 23 is provided on opposite sides with large cylindrical lugs 24 and, immediately below the lugs 24, with flat bottomed projecting portions 25 which provide supporting bases for the pot. The sides of the projecting portions 25 have short vertical portions 26 and are inclined along the remainder of the sides as shown at 27. The pot 23 is of generally frusto-conical configuration and has a lip 28 at its upper end.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation of the stand of the present invention will now be described. A pot 23 containing molten slag from, for example, an open hearth furnace is positioned over the stand by a crane having hooks which engage the cylindrical lugs 24 of the pot 23. The slag pot 23 is lowered onto the stand, as shown in FIG. 4, with the flat bottom surfaces of the projecting portions 25 resting on the horizontal plane 17 of the arms 14. It should be noted that the vertical center line of the slag pot 23 and, consequently, the center of gravity 30 of the slag pot is offset toward the outer end of the arms 14 from the pivot pins 16. As the crane continues to lower the slag pot 23 beyond its point of initial contact with the arms 14, the weight of the pot 23 overcomes that of the counterbalances 24 and the arms 14 clockwise in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5. The pot 23 is supported by means of the lower surface of its projecting portions 25 which are now carried by the plates 17 of the arms 14. The upwardly and inwardly projecting end portions of the arms 14 engage the vertical portions 26 and the inclined portions 27 of the projections 25 on the pot 23 and prevent the pot from sliding downwardly ofi the arms 14. The lowering of the pot 23 continues until the pot and the arms 14 have rotated to the position shown in FIG. 5. At this time the lowermost portion of the lip 28 of the pot 23 is supported by the support block 22 of the base 10. It should be noted that the upwardly projecting portions 18 and 19 of the anus 14 still engage the side portions 26, 27 of the projections 25 so that the pot is stably supported by these end portions and by the support block 22 and does not tend to rotate further, falling free of the support stand. Since the center of gravity 30 of the pot remains below the upper surface of the plates 17 of the supporting arms 14, the pot does not become unbalanced. When the slag pot 23 has been tilted to the position shown in FIG. 5, the molten slag within the pot is drained into a suitable pit or other receiving area. After the pot has been fully drained it is lifted by means of the crane. The counterbalances 22 cause the arms 14 to rotate in an anticlockwise direction back to their normal or at rest position.

While the tipping stand may be permanently anchored to a suitable foundation, it is preferrable that the stand be readily moveable so that the slag dumping site may be changed as desired. This is accomplished in the present invention by providing a large base 10. The combined weight of the heavy structural members forming the stand and the counterbalanced rear portion 21 of the base imparts sufficient stability to the stand so that it does not tend to tip even when a fully loaded slag pot is positioned on the arms 14. The stand may be moved when desired by use of a crane or other suitable equipment and requires merely a substantially flat firm area.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided an improved arrangement for tilting and emptying a slag pot which fulfills the objective set out above. Since the tilting of the pot occurs automatically with the lowering of the pot onto the stand it is not necessary to provide a second hoist on the pot carrying crane to tilt the pot. As the tilting of the pot is effected solely by its being lowered onto the stand no complicated gearing or other mechanisms are required to rotate the pot into a tilted position. The danger of accidentally tilting the slag pot and spilling the molten slag before the pot has been transferred to the desired location is eliminated with the present invention since the pot is not tilted until it is placed on the stand which is located adjacent the slag receiving area.

lclaim:

l. The combination of a slag pot and a tipping stand therefor, comprising:

a slag pot of generally frusto-conical configuration having a pair of lugs projecting outwardly on opposite sides of the pot for engagement with the hooks of a hoisting crane and a flat bottomed projecting portion below each lug, the center of gravity of the pot being below the lower surface of the projecting portion; and

a stand having a base, a pair of uprights secured to and extending vertically upward from opposite sides of the base, an arm pivotally connected to the upper end of each upright, the arms having a common horizontal pivotal axis which intersects the pot held therebetween, each am having a flat top surface for engaging the bottom of the projecting portion of the pot with the center of gravity of the pot being horizontally offset from the pivotal axis and toward the end of the arm that tilts downwardly for dumping, each arm also having an upwardly projecting end portion at the end of the top surface of the arm furthest from the pivotal axis for engaging a side of the projecting portions of the pot, and counterweight means for returning the arm to a horizontal position when the pot is lifted therefrom, said pot and arm being tilted downwardly for dumping by the action of gravity.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a support member secured to said base for limiting the rotation of said slag pot and said arms. 

1. The combination of a slag pot and a tipping stand therefor, comprising: a slag pot of generally frusto-conical configuration having a pair of lugs projecting outwardly on opposite sides of the pot for engagement with the hooks of a hoisting crane and a flat bottomed projecting portion below each lug, the center of gravity of the pot being below the lower surface of the projecting portion; and a stand having a base, a pair of uprights secured to and extending vertically upward from opposite sides of the base, an arm pivotally connected to the upper end of each upright, the arms having a common horizontal pivotal axis which intersects the pot held therebetween, each arm having a flat top surface for engaging the bottom of the projecting portion of the pot with the center of gravity of the pot being horizontally offset from the pivotal axis and toward the end of the arm that tilts downwardly for dumping, each arm also having an upwardly projecting end portion at the end of the top surface of the arm furthest from the pivotal axIs for engaging a side of the projecting portions of the pot, and counterweight means for returning the arm to a horizontal position when the pot is lifted therefrom, said pot and arm being tilted downwardly for dumping by the action of gravity.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a support member secured to said base for limiting the rotation of said slag pot and said arms. 